Quirky Creepy and Freaky

Episode 13: Happy Kitty Vibes

This week, we will explore the source of your cats constant purrs!

Episode 12: Vampires for Halloween

Happy Halloween! Our final Spooky Season Series episode features animals that only eat blood!

Episode 11: Mysterious Sightings of an Extinct Animal

This week, we explore the extinction and continued sightings of an animal that officially went extinct almost 100 years ago. 

To check out the review paper I talk about and the sightings they mention: Sleightholme S.R. and Campbell C.R. 2016. A retrospective assessment of 20th century thylacine populations. Aust. Zool. 38(1). And check out sightings and videos posted on the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia website: https://www.thylacineawarenessgroupofaustralia.com.au

Episode 10: Cannonballing Crickets

Our next episode in the Halloween Spooky Season series features a parasite capable of mind control and changes the behavior of the host! 

Episode 9: Projectile jaws

In this episode, we're going down to the deep sea for a creature that can extend its jaws out to the end of its snout! 

For more detailed illustrations and information, check out: Nakaya, K., Taketeru, T., Suda, K., Sato, K., Ogimoto, K., Chappell, A., Sato, T., Takano, K., Yuki, Y. 2016. Slingshot feeding of the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni (Pisces: Lamniformes: Mitsukurinidae). Sci Rep 6:27786.DOI: 10.1038/srep27786

Episode 8: When Things Aren‘t As They Seem

We're back to the ocean this week with an animal that looks like it should be one individual but is actually a colony of tiny organisms! 

Episode 7: Things that Just Get Under Your Skin

Episode 7 brings us another parasite episode with a fly who parasitizes mammals! 

Episode 6: Migration of the Butterfly

In this week's episode, we will talk about one of the longest insect migrations out there! 

To learn more about monarch butterflies, check out the Monarch Lab at:

https://monarchjointventure.org/

Episode 5: Stealer of the Stinging Cells

In episode 5, we're back to the ocean with animals that steal stinging cells from their prey! 

If you'd like to read the study I mentioned in this episode: Greenwood, P.G., Garry, K., Hunter, A., Jennings, M. 2004. Adaptable defense: A nudibranch mucus inhibits nematocyst discharge and changes with prey type. Biol. Bull. 206:113-120

Episode 4: It‘s a Bug eat Bug world

Episode 4 is our first journey into parasites, and we talk about some wasps that parasitize other bugs!